Itesham Uddin

Mirza Syed Sheikh Itesham Uddin (Bengali: মির্জা সৈয়দ শেখ ইতেশাম উদ্দীন) was a Bengali traveler during the 17th century. He worked under Mir Jafar and learnt the Persian language during that time. He went to Britain in 1766 and lived there for two years.

Unlike most of the aristocratic Muslims, Itesham used to talk in Bengali and used Bengali calendar with Hizri ones. He served in Murshidabad before joining the British East India Company. There he came across with a Scottish doctor and armed officer Firehebold Swiddntan and later both became friends. Shah Alam II, the emperor who gave Dewani (the right to collect revenue) of Bengal to the Company, had started arguments with them and decided to send Itesham and Swiddntan to George III. He send them a letter and 1 lakh Taka with them. It went to Robert Clive's hands and he delayed their visit. He ceised the letters and money. At January or early February 1766 both Itesham and Swiddntan went for Britain in a French ship. He wrote his experience in Britain in a book called "Shigrif-Namah-E-Bilayet" or "The astonishing story of Britain" 1784-1785. It took him nearly six months to reach to England and he went through Mauritius, Kaise, West coast of Africa and coast of France. He taught Hindi and Persian language to British people who intended to come to India for trade or service. Itesham was desperate to come back to his country as he was having trouble with eating.

Itesham was surprised to see the British culture. Even though he quoted "Motherland’s torn is better than foreign flowers" he admired what he saw in Britain. He vehemently supported the educational system and was happy to see girls going to school. He praised affair marriage and felt sorry for women who couldn’t marry. He explained the administration and law of Britain and admired the beauty of British woman. His book was translated to English in 1827.^[1]

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